§ MR. ANDERSONasked Mr. Attorney General, With reference to the statement of the Secretary of the Admiralty, that H.M.S. "Rifleman" had seized twenty slaves on board two British ships in the Red Sea, the "Koina" and the "Rokeby," and that he referred to the Law Officers of the Crown, the question "whether any or what punishment can be awarded to captains or owners of ships so sullying the British flag;" and, if he will inform the House whether British or International Law enables Government to punish officers or owners of British ships guilty of such offences in foreign waters, and if Government is 200 prepared to put in force such powers as they have?
THE ATTORNEY GENERALSir, in answer to the Question of the hon. Gentleman, I beg to state that the statute 5 Geo. IV., c. 113, entitled "An Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade," provides ample means for preventing owners or masters of British ships aiding in any way the Slave Trade, and the provisions of that statute contain very severe penalties; for instance, persons offending are liable to penal servitude for life. I have not received full information of the circumstances connected with the receiving on board the two vessels mentioned; but, certainly, if it should be brought to my attention officially that the officers or owners of British ships were guilty of violating the provisions of the statute to which 1 have referred, I should recommend the Government to institute proceedings against them.